Friday, November 24, 2006

What is this mystery object? It is an early and much appreciated and very much delightful christmas present. More about that latter, Well the tiny pink mint merino jersey for my 4 year old Poppy is finished, and I am really proud of this one. Finished it late last night, washed and left it to dry on the table on a layer of towels last night. I should have photographed pre and post block, but it was too dark, and way to late.

Anyway obligatory photo now, the neck line was frogged and reapeated, I had short rowed 5 stitches more from centre front to the centre back neck, but when Poppy tried it on, it was clear the back neck was far to high and really unnatural. I had put in a safety line of crochet cotton in the row just above the fairisle, but not at the base of the neck rib. So it was a part way frog to the safety line, but went ok as you can see. Note to self - if short rowing the neck, stop 5 stitches in from the back raglan lines. The sleeves ended up with slightly different fairisle as I realised the floats that resulted on the inside of the body, were just the right length for little four year old fingers to snag. I did have some problems with the corrugated rib curling on the body hem, but tried a different cast on on the sleeves which solved the problem. Either that or the narrow tube in the sleeve hem prevented the curling, guess I won't know until the next time. My fix anyway was a twisted german cast on, followed by a row of 'k1p1' in the main colour before joining in the round and continuing the corrugated rib as set. This one did not curl or twist and looks quite good. I tried sleeve increases in a line, but ended up with increases at the end of each dpn, so four rows. The single increase line was to obvious and I realised that knitting in the round gave me other options for increases. This four point increase gave me a nice even bell shaped sleeve, I like it and will do it again.

I've been shopping for knittery things, first for necessaties, like the 2.5mm dpns, to knit the sleeves on, I had 2 2.5mm circs, addi turbos, and tried to knit the sleeves on those, but magic loop and I just are not yet clicking. So I had these sent over from the UK, for some reason not stocked here, not the 2.5mm bit or the addi turbo. I ordered both metal and bamboo just in case, as my last order had half the needles back ordered. The order wasn't big enought to qualify for international shipping, with just the needles, so I added the needle huggers. Sooooo cute. they did visit my daughters dolls house for a play last week and live there until i reclaimed them for my knitting tool kit. The sleeves were knitted on bamboo, very smooth, will buy again. I had a feeling they were not a heirloom item, maybe a shorter working life, but cheaper to match.

The other shopping I did, just this morning, was the yarn for the next project. My LYS's stock is kind of limited, especially in the line of fine yarns for knitting on 3mm and smaller, but LYS's do need supporting. and that was where I found my pink mint merino. I chose this 5 ply from pattons, in teal and cream. I've used patons before, its ok, knits up neatly, not luxury, and fluffs a little but wears well. Bonus was I had my loyalty card stamped so scored a $25 voucher, so that paid for half the yarn. Cool, downside was it is end of loyalty scheme, with a new as yet unannounced scheme apparently planned. Dark teal Kanagaroo hoodie for my 7 year old boy. He is a tall proverbial bean pole. I will base the shape on the Kangaroo Hoodie in Sally Melvilles Book 2: the purl stitch. But as I like/love/need/want to/only knit in the round, will be kniting it that way not flat. Probably a ralgan, but who knows? I have done a saddle shoulder and that was fun, am thinking very classic, not anything fussy, one wide with two narrow chest stripes in the cream or is that bone? Very preppy. Very trad. Instructions from boys dad, non knitting conservative dressing male in house, to not make it to fussy, not to girly ... well of course it won't be pink, but surely a little fair isle wouldnt damage him for ever. I am still smarting from knitting my first EZ inspired first designed raglan for him 2 years ago, with spiderman written across the shoulder/yoke and a band of spiders fair isled around the hem - he never wore it, well twice begrudingly. Then last year i knit another EZ classic, the Tomten, without the hood as i ran out of yarn. Again he never wore it. So maybe I am blind to something here ... who knows. Some one will like it.

off to down load the latest cast on, i did notice that my LYS had the ashford knitters loom, Brenda reviewed in a recent show and now i want one, how tempting ... 40+ birthday in July and so many tempting things.

... and hat strange wooden thing at the start of the post? An early 20thC rocket? No a 1900's oak swift. All neat and tidy and with the original ribbon hinges. isn't it beautiful? In this photo you can see it open on the table with the old one I borrowed sitting in the distance. this one is HUGE, really large, but totally usable if I tie a yarn or string around it to set the outside length as needed, or rather it will open to suit the skein size. I plan to use mine to wind knitting balls from skeins, not to wind skeins from spinning, or whatever others do with them.

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Me

I knit, there is more, I spin too, make books, and play with ink printing, and I work, and have a family. There are two knitting groups, one spinning group and I love process ...on Ravelry I'm Knitfrogknit. Sometimes I get to teach knitting things. Lately there has been a growing interest in in vintage fountain pens, inks, and old fashioned pencils ... truly I am a geek in these things.

On my book shelf

Fish count : 144 + 13

I'm knitting Knitting Arrows Fish blanket, my version is on show @ Ravelry, here, along with many many others.So I have 144 sewn together and 13 ready to add, making a total of .... 157 small fish.I'm using up the left over yarn sock yarn, and started this in January 2007. It is a slow-food project, aimed at a long term outcome, not a quick weekend knit.